H2Te Lewis structure

H₂Te (hydrogen telluride) has two hydrogen atoms and one tellurium atom.

In H₂Te Lewis structure, there are two single bonds around the tellurium atom, with two hydrogen atoms attached to it, and on the tellurium atom, there are two lone pairs.

Alternative method: Lewis structure of H₂Te

Rough sketch

• First, determine the total number of valence electrons

In the periodic table, hydrogen lies in group 1, and tellurium lies in group 16.

Hence, hydrogen has one valence electron and tellurium has six valence electrons.

Since H₂Te has two hydrogen atoms and one tellurium atom, so…

Valence electrons of two hydrogen atoms = 1 × 2 = 2
Valence electrons of one tellurium atom = 6 × 1 = 6

And the total valence electrons = 2 + 6 = 8

Learn how to find: Hydrogen valence electrons and Tellurium valence electrons

• Second, find the total electron pairs

We have a total of 8 valence electrons. And when we divide this value by two, we get the value of total electron pairs.

Total electron pairs = total valence electrons ÷ 2

So the total electron pairs = 8 ÷ 2 = 4

• Third, determine the central atom

Here hydrogen can not be the central atom. Because the central atom is bonded with at least two other atoms, and hydrogen has only one electron in its last shell, so it can not make more than one bond.

Hence, here we have to assume that the central atom is tellurium.

Therefore, place tellurium in the center and hydrogens on either side.

• And finally, draw the rough sketch

Lone pair

Here, we have a total of 4 electron pairs. And two Te — H bonds are already marked. So we have to only mark the remaining two electron pairs as lone pairs on the sketch.

Also remember that tellurium is a period 5 element, so it can keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell. And hydrogen is a period 1 element, so it can not keep more than 2 electrons in its last shell.

Always start to mark the lone pairs from outside atoms. Here, the outside atoms are hydrogens. But no need to mark on hydrogen, because each hydrogen has already two electrons.

So for tellurium, there are two lone pairs.

Mark the lone pair on the sketch as follows:

Formal charge

Use the following formula to calculate the formal charges on atoms:

Formal charge = valence electrons – nonbonding electrons – ½ bonding electrons

For each hydrogen atom, formal charge = 1 – 0 – ½ (2) = 0

For tellurium atom, formal charge = 6 – 4 – ½ (4) = 0

Here, both hydrogen and tellurium atoms do not have charges, so no need to mark the charges.

Final structure

The final structure of H₂Te features a central tellurium atom connected to two hydrogen atoms through single covalent bonds. Within this layout, the tellurium atom satisfies the octet rule by forming two bonding pairs and retaining two lone pairs. Each hydrogen atom reaches its stable duet state through its single shared electron pair. This setup is the most stable because it results in formal charges of zero for all atoms involved, representing the most energetically favorable state for the molecule. As a result, this specific electronic distribution serves as the definitive and most accurate Lewis representation of hydrogen telluride.

Next: PBr₄⁺ Lewis structure

External links

• https://study.com/academy/answer/draw-and-explain-the-lewis-structure-for-the-h2te-molecule.html
• https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/14-lewis-structure-molecule-h2te-contains-2-bonds-te-h-number-lone-pairs-electrons-te-atom-q74868746
• https://www.numerade.com/ask/question/what-is-the-vesper-structure-for-h2te-03528/
• https://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Lewis_dot_structure_for_h2te